Licixrs. 



LIONIN. 



Tb* tribe OrmfUHt* b remarkable for the form, which the apotheeb 

 urn*, bowing a resembbnos to UM latter* of Eastern alphabet*. 

 Tkb may b* seen in (>e/r|d* nrtfrfa in .ft?. 7. As an indication of 

 UM nlM of Uw Uchens in dbtingnbhing th vanou* specie* of 



i Bark. Fee *tate* that the OrapAu iii/mipra ii only found on 

 UK bark of CWfcma l^cifolU. Although the .tu<ly of the Lichens 

 oo UM officinal bariu ha* not produced all the advantage* anticipated 

 by rYo, there can be no doubt of iU Talue in many cam. Referring 

 to tab subject, Burnett observes : " Until the publication of Fee'* 

 memoir on Ue Cryptogamic Epiphyte* of the officinal barks, the *tudy 

 of UM Opegrapha* and their allie* *eemed to be one rather of specu- 

 lative amanoMnt than of practical utility. But now the ca*e b wholly 

 hanfiil. *inoe then graphic plant*, theee living letter*, written by 

 nature'* hand, are ibown to conititute inicription* legible by men. 

 Alwavs curious indeed, and admirable even to the least tutored eye, 

 did the examination of theee mimic ohancten appear ; and as fancy 

 traced the liken*** to various Oriental signs, so were these little plant* 

 called Scripture- Worts, some Hebrew (Optgrapka lldraica), some 



Chine** UrOc 



*ia), and so forth. But, like the hiero- 



glyphics of the Egyptian fanes, their meaning was buried in obscurity, 

 and so little gue*aed *t, that it often was doubted whether they had 

 any secret* to reveal. They were sources of wonder rather than 

 wisdom, until UM Young and the ChampoUion of the vegetable world 

 arose, and by mean* of a natural Rosetts-Stone deciphered these 

 hitherto unknown manuscripts, and taught us to peruse this part of the 

 acred Scripture* of creation." The tribe* Calycida and PtUrerarida 

 embrace several genera, amongst which are Lrpraria, Ooiocybe, ic. 



(Burnett, Omllimtt of Botany ; Lindley, A'atural Syitcm; Lindley, 

 Flora Mtdieo. Fries, L>cb*oyraplua Survpaa Rtformata.) 



LI'CIKUS (Latreille), a genu* of Coleopterous Insect* included in 

 UM great group Garabtu of the older authors. The genus Liciniu is 

 placed by Dejean in his section 1'attllimanei, and, together with the 

 | SB era fiicaita, fymtnu, and Baditltr, constitute* a Tittle section or 

 ub-family, distinguished from other Patellimanes by the want of the 

 tooth-like process in the emargination of the raentum. 



In the genus Rtmbiu (Latreille) the three basal joints of the 

 anterior tarsi are dilated in the male sex : the terminal joint* of the 

 palpi are elongated, somewhat ovate, and truncated at the apex ; the 

 mandible* project but little, are slightly arched, and pointed; the 

 thorax i* narrower than the elytra, which are almost parallel. 



Bat two or three specie* of Ibis genus (the Carabui polilut, and 

 C. imprtmi of Fabriciu*) are known ; they are found in the East 

 Indies, and are of a black colour. 



Oenn* IHeal<u (Bonelli) may be distinguished by the following 

 characters : terminal joint of the palpi securiform ; labruin emargi- 

 nated and having a longitudinal impression; mandibles projecting 

 bat little, without internal denticulntions, slightly arched and pointed ; 

 thorax nearly square ; elytra moderately long, parallel or somewhat 

 ovate ; the three basal joints of the anterior tarsi are dilated in the 

 male ML The species of IHcalut appear to be confined to North 

 America, and about 12 or 15 are described. They are in general 

 of a tolerably large *ue, averaging perhaps about three-quarters of an 

 inch in length, or rather lei*. Some of the species are of a beautiful 

 purple or bluish tint ; they are however most commonly black. 



(Mia* Liti*M*. In this genus the head i* broad , abort, and rounded ; 

 toe thorax is generally of a rounded form, and the body depressed 

 and ovate; the labrum b short, and emarginated in front; the 

 terminal joint of the palpi b securiform ; the mandibles are stout, 

 short, obtusely pointed, and dentate internally; the two basal joints 

 f Me anterior tarsi are dilated in the male *ex. In Dejean'i Cata- 

 logue des CoMopten*' there are 12 specie* of the present genus enu- 

 merated, nearly all of which inhabit Europe. Three species inhabit 



Entomology.') 

 by the mandibles 

 the anterior tarsi 



joint of the palpi elongated, 



oval, and somewhat pointed ; the bead rounded, and the thorax cordi- 

 fana. Of Utbjmus five specie* are enumerated by Dejean, all of 

 Their small size however render* it probable 

 ' be discovered ; already as great a number 

 ha* been found in this country, some of 



wUek an certainly unknown to that author. The genus Trimorphtu 

 of Mr. atepbeasappean not to be sufficiently distinct from Baduttr. 



LICUALA, a geousof Palms of the tribe Corypkiiur ot Martins, so 

 Mowd by Kumphiua, from the Maoeamar mime of the species L. 

 ftMMt iVBstf by him in 'Herb. Amboin.,' i. t. 9, and which is 

 bond m UM bland* of Maceaesar and of Celebes Another sped**, 

 ps*MBl<l**eribed by Dr. Roxburgh a* a native of the moun- 

 temoo* and woody parts near Cbiltegong, which separates that 

 i UM ' 



whkh inhabit Europe. Their 

 that very many more will b* 

 a. lh*t given by Dqean he. 







territorb*. 



\ specie* are small, with 



palmate MMiwwbat fan-ehaped leaves, but of little use. Kumphius 

 describes UM narrow leave* of hb tree a* being formed into pipes for 

 smoking tobacco, while the broader are employed for wrapping up 

 fruit, and for other domestic one. 



LIKBIOITK, a Mineral containing carbonate of uranium and lime. 

 It b found new Adnanople in Turkey, and occurs in mammillory 

 oaMMtluu* of an apple-ma colour. 



LIKVRITE. [ISS.T 



LIFK. [VITALITY.] 



LIGAMENTS, in Anatomy, the organs by which the various 

 articulation* of the animal body are held together. [ARTICULATION.] 

 They are generally very strong membrane*, and in their structure and 

 composition resemble tendons. [TENDON.] They are in most 

 instances attached to two bone*, and assist in the formation and 

 strengthening of the joint*. Ligament* are of various forms : some 

 completely enclose the joint as in a case or capsule, and are then 

 called Capsular Ligaments, as is seen in the knee, hip, and shoulder 

 joint ; others form straight bands p"""g from one bone te another ; 

 whilst others, again, are inserted into the heads and cavities of bones 

 within the joint*. The ligament* are principally composed of the 

 modification of areolar tissue called Fibrous Tissue. [ABEOLAR 

 TISSUE,] 



LIGIA. [ISOPODA.] 



L1UNIN is the substance which remains after a plant or a portion 

 of it has been treated with water, weak alkaline and acid solutions, 

 with alcohol, and ether, in order to dissolve all the matters soluble in 

 these agents. 



Lignin, properly speaking, constitutes the skeleton of the trunk and 

 branches of the tree. It varies, in different kinds, as to its colour, 

 hardness, texture, and specific gravity ; and it is probable, on account 

 of these differences, that it* composition also varies. The texture of 

 lignin U always porous, because it contains longitudinal vessels, and 

 it is easy to split it in the direction assumed by them. The pores of 

 ligniu, when fresh, contain the juices of different substances. During 

 the drying of lignin the water evaporates, and leaves the matters dry 

 which it held dissolved. It is on this account that wood contracts, in 

 drying, in breadth, but preserves it* length. It U commonly admitted 

 that timber in general consists of ninety-six part* of lignin and four 

 parts of the substances which were held in solution by the evaporated 

 moisture. 



When lignin has been dried, it is a non-conductor of electricity ; 

 but on account of its porous nature and the deliquescent substances 

 which it contains, it acquires moisture when exposed to the air, and 

 then becomes a conductor: this absorption may be prevented by 

 varnish. It Is well known that wood swims in water: but when 

 deprived of air it becomes heavier and sinks in it ; it* specific gravity 

 then varying from 1'46, which is the specific gravity of fir, to that of 

 1'53, the specific gravity of oak and beech. Wood is gradually 

 decomposed when exposed to the simultaneous influence of light, air, 

 and water ; but under water it may be preserved for an almost inde- 

 finite period, as is proved by the trunks of trees which have been 

 found in a perfect state buried in the bottom of peat-mosses, and 

 which must have been there from a period anterior to history : also 

 when it b kept perfectly dry it is not subject to decay. The wood 

 inclosing Egyptian mummies is found in good preservation, although 

 some of it must be about 3000 years old. 



When wood or lignin is treated with chlorine, it become* white, 

 but doe* not dissolve. Concentrated sulphuric acid in the cold 

 converts it into gum ; and if the moss thus obtained be boiled with 

 water, it b changed into grape sugar. When treated with sulphuric 

 acid, it b decomposed, becomes black owing to the separation of 

 charcoal, while sulphurous and carbonic acid gases are evolved. When 

 treated with strong nitric acid, oxalic acid b obtained ; when boiled 

 in concentrated hydrochloric acid, it becomes first reddish, then brown, 

 and afterwards black, without being soluble either in the acid or 

 in water. 



The caustic alkalis dissolved in a large quantity of water act but 

 feebly on wood ; but if sawdust be treated with an equal weight of 

 hydrate of potash dissolved in a little water, it swells, yields water 

 with an empy reutimtic smell, and a homogeneous liquid b formed ; 

 when this has cooled, it b of a blackish brown colour, and contains 

 oxalic and acetic acids, with a substance resembling soot treated with 

 an alkali. When wood is heated in iron cylinders with the necessary 

 arrangements for the condensation of the volatile products, a great 

 variety of important substances are obtained, besides charcoal : in 

 thin way are procured acetic acid, commonly colled, till purified, 

 pyroligneous acid, pyroxilic spirit, creosote, and tarry matter. 



Some botanical and chemical writers distinguish from this substance 

 cellulose, but as they both form the inventing walb of the cells of 

 plants it b probable they are modifications of the same chemical 

 compound. 



(Vlliilose may be procured from all the parts of plants without 

 exception, by dissolving (by certain re-agents) the other substances 

 asaocbted with it. Pure cellulose is easily obtained from the pith of 

 the elder-tree, or from very young root*. The substances most com- 

 monly associated with it are, starch, gum, fat*, resin*, vegetable 

 alkalies, salt*, sugar, and the peculiar woody matter termed by Payen 

 iiintii'ro incrustaute, or lignin of the other writers. After the removal 

 of these substances by extraction with alcohol, ether, dilute potash, 

 hydrochloric acid, and water, the cellulose, which was previously 

 solid and dense, assume* a spongy appearance. As a proof of its 

 constant composition, it b worthy of mention that the following 

 nhlMlliiiis, previously purified in this matter, gave similar results, 

 namely, the ovnla of almonds, of apples, of the Ildianthtu annuut, 

 the lap of cucumbers, the tissue of the cucumber, the pith of the 

 elder-tree, the pith of the jEtchynomene paludota, cotton-wood, the 



